Manchester United chief executive David Gill has called for Fifa to compensate clubs who release player for international duty.

In a move likely to further sour relations between Europe's top clubs and the game's governing bodies, Manchester United and other G14 clubs have lodged a formal complaint against Fifa to the Swiss competition authorities.

"The fact the governing bodies can generate vast amounts of money in sponsorship and TV revenue through an asset they get for free is something that just cannot continue," Gill said.

"We are waiting to see what Fifa's response is to the complaint we have put forward to the competition authorities but there has to be scope for Fifa and Uefa to slice some of the profits they make from major tournaments to repay the clubs who provide the assets which provide the income."

The conflict has been brought to Manchester United's doorstep this week with the England team training at United's Carrington facilities ahead of their World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to abandon training having lost 18 members of his first team squad. United's recent injury problems were compounded by Louis Saha and Gary Neville returning injured from international duty.

Gill was quick to stress that he was in favour of competitive international football, but that new guidelines had to be drawn up.

"We are not saying you shouldn't have championships.

"As a Premier League club, we want a successful England team and the competitions they play in increase football's popularity around the world," he said.

'If you look at Uefa, 82% of the revenue generated from the Champions League is distributed as prize money, while the other 18% is retained for putting on the competition, their offices and good causes. It is transparent and the clubs understand it.

"But if you look at an analysis of what they made out of Euro 2004 the indications are they could use some of that money to reimburse the clubs."

Gill's comments come a week after Sepp Blatter, who has now cut off contact with the G14 group, warned against national football associations being overrun by the self-interest of those clubs at the top of the pile.

"For wealthy clubs to try to emasculate the international game by seizing control of a national football association - as I read that some fear they are trying to do in England is unacceptable," Blatter said.